Five Vietnamese contestants win first prizes at the 18th ZhongSin International Music Competition 2024. Photo courtesy of ZhongSin International Music Competition

HÀ NỘI Vietnamese contestants have triumphed over 1,000 counterparts from around the world to win five top prizes of the 18th ZhongSin International Music Competition 2024.

After the regional round held in Việt Nam in November 2023, the Organising Committee identified 31 eligible contestants to enter the final round of the international music competition, which recently took place over five days in Singapore.

The Vietnamese contestants are students from both professional and non-professional art training institutions such as the Vietnam National Academy of Music, HCM City Conservatory of Music, CIS International School - HCM City, Alexandre Yersin French High School – Hà Nội and Dewey School system – Hà Nội, among others.

The final artistic council of the competition comprised 532 professors, lecturers and experts from renowned art schools, leading music training institutions, as well as professional artists from around the world.

The closing and award ceremony of the competition were held at the Star Performing Arts Centre in Singapore, with the participation of nearly 4,000 parents and contestants.

Pianist Nguyễn Lệ Thuyên Hà, Head of the Organising Committee for the preliminary round in Việt Nam of this music competition, is the first Vietnamese artist to appear on the Final Round judging panel in Singapore.

According to her, competing against over 1,000 contestants from various countries worldwide, the Vietnamese contestants achieved remarkable results, bringing honour and pride to Việt Nam on the international artistic stage.

Vietnamese contestants won three first prizes in the Amateur category across different age groups, Piano discipline, and two first prizes in the discipline of vocal music and traditional musical instrument - bamboo flute.

They also secured one second prize in the Open category in the Composition discipline; 10 second prizes in the Amateur category across different age groups, in the disciplines of Piano, Vocal Music, Jazz Drum, and Violin; as well as 13 third prizes in the Amateur category across different age groups, in the discipline of Piano.

In addition, the Vietnamese delegation also achieved a Top 5 ranking in the Open category in the discipline of Piano; and one Best Performance Award in the Professional category, in the discipline of Vocal Music.

This year’s event is the first time a traditional Vietnamese musical instrument, the H'mong flute, has appeared. Ly Minh Cường, a young man from the northern province of Hà Giang, won the first prize in the Traditional Musical Instrument category.

"The final round of the ZhongSin International Music Competition 2024 held in Singapore was organised professionally. International contestants demonstrated meticulousness in their attire and performances. For the first time, the Vietnamese delegation included a traditional Vietnamese musical instrument in the competition and achieved the highest result,” Hà said.

“In my role as the head of the delegation, I am proud to see Vietnamese contestants have the opportunity to shine on the international artistic stage and be recognised."

The first Zhongsin International Music Competition was held in Singapore back in 2007. The competition aims to be one of the most professional, all-encompassing international music competitions of its kind. Upon its founding, this competition received tremendous support from the National Arts Council of Singapore and the Singapore Chinese Music Association.

The contest includes preliminary and final rounds, with the preliminary qualifiers having over 50,000 entrants, while 1,000 finalists attend the competition every year. Competitors come from different countries around the world and compete against each other in categories such as piano, voice, strings, guitar, winds, electronic organ, accordion, percussion and folk instruments. VNS